Heel forming machine



Fe., 4, E936.. c. H. couLsoN HEEL FORMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1955 A TTORNEYS.

Feb., 4, 1936. c. H. coULsoN 2923654 HEEL FORMING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1955 s sheets-sheet 2 BY Y- ATTORNEYS.

Feh L4, 1936 c. H. COULSON ,@Zg@

HEEL FORMNG MACHINE Filed March 13,` 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

\ y VIBY lampi. 5 60 ATTORNEYS. wif/'T www Feb., 4, 1936l c. H. coULsoN HEEL FORMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1955 ik Lf INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Feb 4% 193@ c. H. coULsoN HEEL FOBMING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

TORNE S.

Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 19 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for building heels.

An object of the invention is the provision of a machine for building heels in which heel blanks are forced through a pressure container formed by a back plate and an adjustable breast plate with means for forcing the blanks to a predetermined position within the pressure container and automatic means for stopping and. returning the heel-forcing means to a normal inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a heel-building machine in which a plunger forces the assembled lifts or blanks into a pressure container with the blanks maintained under pressure while the cementitious material connecting the liftsv of the blanks is permitted to dry, said plunger being moved through a predetermined stroke under power with means for automatically cutting off the power when the plunger has reached its limit of movement.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine for building heels in which heel-forming plates or jaws are adapted tore-l tain the heel blanks in position while being forced into a pressure container where they are maintained under pressure and with means for causing the heel-forming plates or jaws to be released after the heel has been moved into the pressure container and before the heel has been forced to a predetermined distance within the pressure container.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine for building heels in which a plunger is reciprocated under power for forcing the assembled lifts or heel blanks into a pressure container where said lifts are maintained under pressure with means for automatically causing the power mechanism to continue the stroke of the plunger-after the power mechanism has been set into operation by a manual means with means for automatically disconnecting the power means when the plunger has forced the blank to a predetermined distance within the pressure container.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed descrip-V tion, in view of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation with parts broken away of my heel-building machine,

Figure 2 is a front View in elevation of my heelbuilding machine with parts broken away,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View in elevation, 5 partly in section, showing the heel forming plates in operative position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View in elevation of the heel building machine showing the heel-forming plate in an inoperative position,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view in elevation of the heel building machine disclosing the pressure container and the discharge chute,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side View of the heel forming plate and lift supporting table in an operative position,

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken along the line 'I-'I of Figure 1, and

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 designates a base member upon which are mounted standards II and I2 which are in the form of plates. The standards II and I2 are fianged at their lower ends, as shown at I3, for connecting the standards to the base members. Spaced bolts I4 are passed through perforations in the standards II and I2 and are secured in pla'ce by means of nuts I5. A sleeve I6 is received by each bolt I4 and abuts the inner faces of the standards II and I2 and maintains the standards in spaced relation.

Angle irons I'I connect a table I8 with the standards II and I2.

The upper end of each of the standards I I and I2 is provided with horizontally disposed flanges I9 and depending flanges 20 which are bolted at 2l to the angle irons I'I. Flanges I9 co-operate with the angle irons II in supporting the table I8.

An I-beam, generally designated by the nu- 40 meral 22, has its lower end passing through an opening in the table I8 and is connected to the standard I2 by means of brackets 23 extending from the inner face of the standard I2 and having their free ends abutting one wall of the cen- 45 trally disposed member 24 of the I-beam 22. Bolts 25 secure the member 24 to the free ends of the brackets 23.

The I-beam 22 extends a distance above the table I8 which is commensurate with the require- 50 ment for the travel of the blanks to permit the 'cementitious material to harden sufciently to retain the lifts forming the blanks in secured relation. A V-shaped breast plate, designated generally by the numeral 26, has inclined side walls 21 projecting towards the I-beam 22 and is spaced from a flange 28 of the I-beam which forms the back plate and which co-operates with the breast plate 26 to provide a pressure container for the heel blanks as will be presently explained.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 5 it will be seen that the breast plate 26 is supported by means of yokes, generally designated by the numeral 29 and each yoke consists oiga pair of arms 30 connected together at their outer ends by means of a bridging piece 3|. The inner ends of the yokes are connected at 32 with the inclined side walls 21 of the breast plate 26.

A pair of guide members 33 secured to the side of the I-beam 22 will neatly receive the arms 30 of the yokes 29 whereby the yokes may be slidably moved and the breast plate 26 moved towards or away from the back plate 28 of the I-beam 22.

The bridging plate 3| is provided with a centrally disposed threaded passage to receive a threaded bolt 34 having a hand wheel 35 secured to the outer end for rotating the bolt. The inner end of the bolt 34 is provided with a head 36 which engages the flange 31 of the I-beam 22. The head is received within a socket 36a formed in a plate 31s secured to the flange 31 of the I- beam 22.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 one of the arms of each of the yokes 29 is provided with a graduated scale 40 cooperating with an index 4I on one of the guide members 33 so that as the bolts 34 are revolved for moving the breast plate 26 towards or away from the back plate 28, and since the adjustment of the yokes are dependent on each other, the graduations and the index nicely determine the proper spacing of the breast plate throughout its length from the back plate 28.

The breast plate intermediate the ends thereof is bowed slightly outwardly for a portion of its length so that when the blanks reach this portion which is located between the yokes 29 relieves friction on the blanks and therefore reduces the power which would ordinarily be required to elevate the blank through the pressure chamber if the entire path ot the blanks through the chamber would exert frictional resistance to the travel of said blanks. The section of the pressure chamber just described merely acts as a guide for the blanks.

Upon the upper end of the back plate 28 of the I-beam 26 is secured to a discharge chute 42 having an opening at 43 through which the blanks are discharged into a container, not shown. The front portion of the chute 42 is open and into this open portion projects the upper free end of the breast plate 26 and this upper end of the breast plate is curved rearwardly in order to direct the blanks into the discharge chute 42. In order to assist in the proper discharge oi' the blanks into the hopper, a portion of the hopper, as indicated at 44, is curved for engagement with the blanks and for aiding in tilting the blanks to the proper position so that they will fall into the chute.

A planetary transmission, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, is mounted between the plates I I and I2 and includes a shaft 45 which is mounted in bearings 46 on the standards II and I2. One end of the shaft may be directly connected with a motor or may be connected in any other approved manner with a power driven mechanism. The other end of the shaft may be coupled with a similarly positioned shaft of another heel forming machine. A housing 41 has a hub section 48 loosely mounted on the shaft 45 and is adapted to be held against rotation for the transmission of power in a manner which will be presently described. A gear 50 is secured to the shaft 45 in any approved manner and meshes with a gear 5| secured to a sleeve 52 which is in turn rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 53 having bearings in the side walls of the housing 41. A portion of the sleeve has been converted into a gear, as shown at 54.

A gear 55 has an integrally formed sleeve or hub 56 loosely mounted on the shaft 45 and meshes with the gear 54. The housing 41 has a second hub 48a loosely mounted on the sleeve 56.

'I'he sleeve 56 is provided with a gear section 59 formed integrally therewith and meshing with a vertically disposed reciprocating rack 66.

The lower end of the rack is provided with a piston 6| movable in a cylinder 62 formed in the base member I0. This piston and cylinder act as a dashpot to dampen the speed of descent of the rack, as will be presently explained. The discharge of air from the cylinder 62 is through a passage 63 formed in the base member III and the cross sectional area of this passage is controlled by means of a valve 64. In other words, the valve controls, by proper adjustment, the air escaping from the cylinder as the piston 6| moves into the same, thereby retarding or increasing the speed of movement of the piston in the cylinder.

The rack 60 is slidably mounted in guides 65 which are carried by the standard I2 in spaced relation. A plate 66 is removably connected to each guide by means of screws 61 whereby the rack may be removed from the guides when desired.

A spring 68 is connected at one end to a pin 69 forming part of a plate 69a which is carried by the rack 60 while the other end oi' the spring is connected at 1l]a to the base member I 0, whereby the spring will be placed under a tension when the rack is elevated and will return the rack to its inoperative position when the forces are released which have moved the rack in an elevated position. The downward movement o1' the rack is limited to a predetermined position by a toe 65a formed on the lower end of the plate 69a. The toe engages the upper guide 65 when the rack has been moved to its lowermost position.

The upper end o1' the rack is split, as shown at 10, and is provided with a threaded opening 1| intermediate the end of the slot or split portion 10. This opening is not only threaded but is tapered to receive a tapered screw as shown at 12 in Fig. 6`for spreading the split portions 13 of the upper end 14 of the rack 60 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

The side walls of the upper end 14 of each rack 60 are cut away to provide grooves or keyways 15 to receive ribs or keys 16 on the bottom of a heelsupporting table 11. The grooves 15 provide a head 18 which is received within a slot 19 which provides means for aiding in retaining the table 11 on the upper end 14 of the rack. This table includes a back portion 11a having forwardly projecting lugs 16EL upon which the keys 16 rest. 'Ihe lugs 16a have substantially the same width as the keys 16 and are likewise received within the keys 15. The back portions of the table 11 per se are removable from the head 18 on the upper end of the rack. When the tapered screw 12 is forced into the threaded passage 1|, the members 13 will be spread apart for rigidly clamping the keys 16 a bracket |86a c-arried by the standard l2.

and 16a to the head on the upper end of the rack 68.

A pair of levers 88 and 8| are pivotally mounted at 82 upon the opposite ends of the back portion Tia. 'Ihe lever 8| is provided with a finger 83 adapted to engage a stop 84 carried by the I-beam 22 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

A rod 85 extends inwardly from the' lower end of the lever 8| adjacent its pivotal connection 82 and on this rod is mounted a sleeve 86 having a shoulder 8l adapted to be engaged by one end of a spring 88. The other end of the spring abuts a shoulder 89 adjacent the hub portion 98 of the lever 8|. The spring tends at all times to force the sleeve outwardly from the rod and the shoulder 89.

The outer end of the sleeve is provided with a lug 9| having a passage to receive a pin 92 and this pin also is received within` a passage in one end of an arm 93 which extends outwardly from the hub portion 94 of the pivotal connection 82 for the lever 88. It will be seen by this arrangement that the springA 88 tends at all times to maintain the rod 85 and the arm 93 at an obtuse angle to each other so that when the levers 89 and 8| are moved beyond the horizontal aligning position of said members that the spring will force the arm and rod to move to either side of the horizontal position instantly.

A curved plate |58 covers the operating mechanism including the rod 85 and the arm 93 to protect the same against foreign matter, particularly paste. Said plate is secured to the underside of the back portion 'Ha of the table 11. The plate also acts to prevent the levers 88 and 8| from slipping off their pivotal points 82.

The levers 88 and 8| project through cut-out sections |5| of the plate |58 and ribs |52 embracing the edges of said sections aid in guiding paste or other matter away from the interior of the space below the said plate.

The levers 88 and 8| are limited in their inward movements by the edges of the cut-out sections |5|.

The heel-forming plate or jaw 95 is adjustably secured to each lever 88 and 8|. Each plate is provided with an inclined inner edge 96 adapted to engage a side of -a heel blank 91 which is mounted on the table 11. The inclined edge 96 is of suflicient length to engage the side edges of all of the lifts forming the blank. Each plate is provi-ded with a slot 98 adapted to receive a headed bolt 98EL which is threaded into a passage in the outer end of the levers. The bolt not only provides means for securing the plate 95 to the end of the lever but the slot 98 permits adjustment of the plates towards or away from each other to take care of heels of diiTerent widths.

The front face of each lever is provided with a rib |88 adapted to be received within a groove |8| in the rear face of the plate 95 and this groove and rib co-operate to maintain the plate in proper position.

The arm 83 is adapted to engage a head |82 of a set screw |83 threaded into a passage in the upper end of the standard l2. The set screw may be adjusted to such position that it will engage the arm 83 and move the levers 88 and 8| inwardly and position the plates 95 to receive the lifts when a heel is being built up upon the table 11.

The upper end 14 of the rack 58 is slidably mounted in a passage |95 formed in one end of A removable plate |81@ closes the outer end of the passage and is removably connected to the bracket so that the rack may be readily removed when desired.

A foot pedal |86 is secured to a rock shaft |81 which is mounted in bearings carried by the stand-ards and I2.

Secured to the shaft |81 is a pair of diametrically disposed levers |88 and |89. The lever |88 is connected by -a pair of links ||8 with a brake shoe This shoe is carried by an arm ||2 pivotally mounted at I3.

A second shoe ||5 carried by an arm 6 pivot-ally mounted at is connected by means of a pair of links ||8 with the lever |89 so that the shoes are applied or released simultaneously. A lever |28 is connected with the shaft lf3? and is adapted to be rocked when the foot pedal |88 is depressed in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l. A spring |2| has one end connected at |22 to the standard |2 while the other end is connected to the lever |28 and returns the lever after the foot pedal has been released. The upper end of the lever has a toe |23 adapted to engage a stop |24 secured to a rod |25.

The rod |25 is slidably mounted in a carriage |26 pivotally mounted at |21 on the standard l2. The rod |25 is slidable in a groove |28 formed in the carriage |26. A nut |29 is secured to the rod |25 and receives the threaded end |38 of a bolt |3| which has spaced collars |32 secured thereto and upon opposite sides of a slotted block |33 which receives the bolt |3| and which is carried by the hub portion 34 of the carriage |26. rIhe outer end of the bolt is provided with a manipulating knob |35, whereby the bolt |3| may be revolved for moving the rod |25 either to the right or left as shown in Figure 1 for properly positioning the stop |24 with respect to the toe |23 on the lever |29.

A pin |35 is secured to the rack 68 and is adapted to engage the rod |25 for tripping the same at a predetermined time in the elevation of the rack 68.

A lever |38 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided with an integrally formed hub |39 which is secured to one end of a shaft |49. This shaft exten-ds through a bearing |4| on the standard l2. A pin |42 is machined or otherwise formed on the other end of the shaft |48. A shoe |43 is pivotally mounted on the pin |42. The pin is eccentrically mounted relative to the axis of the shaft |48. When the lever |38 is rocked anticlockwise, the shoe |43 will be moved into eng-agement with the side wall of the rack 89 and the eccentric mounting will force the shoe into engagement with the rack whereby the rack will be held in any lowered or elevated position against the tension of the spring 68. By this construction the table 'l1 and its associated devices may be moved out manually of the opening IBa of the top |8 and held in that position by the shoe |43 so that it is possible to retain the table in a more convenient position for repair work or for the application of different heelforming plates 95. A pin |38a is adapted to engage the lever |38 and maintain the shoe |43 in an operative position during the normal operation of the rack 68.

The disposition of the eccentric pin |42 with respect to the shoe |43 and the rack 68 provides a toggle action so the rack is firmly retained in any position desired between the upper and lowermost positions.

The operation of my device is as follows: The

heel supporting member or the table 11 is located in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the heel forming plates 95 in position and the lifts which have been supplied with a cementitious material are placed upon the table in the proper order to form the blank 9'1 with the edges of the lifts being engaged by the heel-forming plates 95 and being maintained in proper position.

As soon as the heel has been built to the proper height the operator of the machine depresses the pedal |06 whereby the brake shoes and 5 are moved into engagement with the outer surface of the drum 4l and said drum which is normally revolving during action of the machine is then held against the movement whereby the planetary gearing within the drum will cause rotation of the hub 56, and likewise the gear 59, so that the rack 60 will be elevated and force the new blank under pressure into the pressure container formed by the breast plate 2l and the back plate 28 and the new blank will be forced into snug engagement with the previously formed blank in the pressure container. Likewise, all of the blanks which have been previously placed into the container are moved up a height which is equal to the height of the lift or blank plus the heights of the spacers 9`|a and 91h.

The hub 56 is in effect a driven shaft and connects the gear 55 with the gear 59. The gear 55 normally remains idle when the drum is rotating.

As soon as the blank has entered the pressure container and has been elevated sufficiently the arm 83 engages the stop 84, causing the heelforming plates 95 to be moved outwardly from engagement with the blank, as shown in Fig. 4, while the blank is still being moved to its uppermost position within the container.

When the blank has been moved to its uppermost position, the rack will have reached the limit of its upstroke and the rod |25 will be engaged by the pin |36 whereby the rod is elevated and the stop |24 is moved away from the toe |23 of the lever |20. When this happens the spring |2| is free to pull the lever |20 and moves said lever to the right, thereby elevating the foot pedal |06 and causing the brake shoes and ||5 to be moved away from the drum 4l.

It will be appreciated that when the operator places his foot upon the foot pedal |06 it is only necessary for the operator to exert suflicient pressure to insure the locking of the members 20 and |24 whereby the brake shoes and ||5 will create enough friction to hold the drum against rotation whence the operator will remove his foot from the pedal and the rest of the operations of the machine are automatic.

Since the power has been released from the hub 55 and the rack 60 has been moved to its upward limit the spring 68 will then return the rack 69 to its downward inoperative position carrying the member Il and its associated devices also downwardly. The arm 83, as shown in Fig. 3, being in alignment with the head |02 of the set screw |03 will engage said head and cause the levers 80 and 8| to be rocked whereby the heelforming plates 95 will be moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 for another application of a blank. No strain is exerted upon the arm 83 due to the fact that it is only necessary for the head of the set screw |03 to engage the free end of the arm 83 since the spring' 88 and its associated parts will cause the arm 93 and the rod 85 to be moved downwardly after these members have moved beyond their horizontal alining positions. In other words, the particular construction provides for a snap action of the members 93 and 85 when said members are moved beyond the dead center or horizontal alignment.

In order to cushion the downward descent of the rack 60, because of the force exerted by the spring 68, the piston 6| moving into the dashpot 62 will decrease the speed of the downward movement of the rack and prevent any jars to the operating parts. When the foot pedal |06 is operated the lever |20 is moved in a direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 and the toe |23 will engage the inner end of the stop |24 against the tension of the spring |2| so that the rod |25 Will be in the proper position to be engaged by the pin |36 on the rack 60 during the next elevating movement of said rack to cause disengagement of the power elevating mechanism.

The magazine at the opposite end portions for a predetermined length have such a cross sectional area when the yokes 29 are properly adjusted to provide frictional pressure upon the blanks or lifts but the intermediate or remaining portion of the V-shaped breast plate is bowed slightly outwardly from the wall 28 of the I-beam 22 to relieve such frictional pressure whereby this portion of the pressure chamber or magazine merely acts as a guide for the lifts.

The upper end of the log holder is so constructed that it will release lateral pressure upon the heel blanks and the division plates and thus free the division plates and blanks from the column before they are discharged into the chute. It will be appreciated that in the manufacture of the heels and when they are forced through the log that the division plates and blanks are not secured together and therefore there is no necessity of providing any means for directing the blanks and division plates when they emerge from the log holder.

The curved member 25 merely acts as a guide for the blanks before they are discharged into the chute.

The log holder may be curved or inclined at an angle to the horizontal and in this case the blanks, as explained above, are merely discharged from the outer free end of the log holder as are the division plates.

I claim:

1. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which the heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, means for actuating the reciprocating means, means operated by the reciprocating means for causing the actuating means to be released when the reciprocating means has substantially completed its stroke, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

2. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, actuating means for the reciprocating means, means for causing the actuating means to be set in operation, means operated by the reciprocating means for releasing the last-mentioned means, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

3. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance Within the magazine, actuating means for the reciprocating means, means for initiating the actuating means, means for rendering the actuating means inoperative after the table has moved the blank to a predetermined position within the magazine, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

4. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, a driving shaft, a driven means, means adapted to connect the driven means with the drive shaft, means for setting the connecting means in operation, means actuated by the reciprocating means for causing release of the connecting means, means co-operatively connecting the driven means with the reciprocating means, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

5. A machine forbuildng heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, a drive shaft, a driven means, a transmission adapted to connect the driven means with the drive shaft, means cooperatively connecting the driven means with the reciprocating means, means for causing the transmission to connect the driven means and drive shaft, means actuated by the reciprocating means for releasing the means connecting the driven means and the reciprocating means, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

6. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance Within the magazine a drive shaft, a driven means, a transmission adapted to connect the drive shaft and driven means, means co-operatively connecting the driven means with the reciprocating means, means included in the transmission for causing the transmission to connect the drive shaft and driven means, manual means actuating the last-mentioned means which is included in the transmission, means for retaining the manual means and said last-mentioned means in an operative position, means operated by the reciprocating means for releasing the retaining means, and means for returning the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

7. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a transmission between the drive and driven shafts and including a drum and brakes for holding the drum against rotation during the transmission of power, manual means for applying the brakes, a lever actuated by the manual means, a movable rod having means engageable with the lever for retaining said lever and likewise the manual means in an operative position, means on the reciprocating means and engageable with the rod for moving said rod and the retaining means out of engagement with the lever, and means for returning the lever and manual means to an inoperative position.

8. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, heel-forming plates pivotally mounted on the table and adapted to retain the lifts in position, a releasing means for the plates and connected with one of the plates, and a tripping means disposed in line with the means on the plate.

9. A machine for building heels comprising a magazine for lifts, a table upon which heel blanks are built, a reciprocating means for forcing the table and blanks to a predetermined distance within the magazine, heel forming plates pivotally mounted on the table, means normally urging the plates toward each other so that said platesv will grip the lifts between them when said lifts are applied to the table and retain the lifts in position, means connecting the plates together for simultaneous rocking movement, means for causing the reciprocating means to move the lifts into the magazine under pressure, and means for causing the plates to be moved to an inoperative position after the lifts have entered the magazine.

10. In a heel forming machine, a magazine, a movable table upon which lifts are assembled, heel forming plates pivotally connected with the table,l means normally urging the plates toward each other so that said plates will grip the lifts between them when said lifts are applied to the table and retain the lifts in position, means for forcing the table and assembled lifts into the magazine, and a tripping means for the plates adapted to be operated automatically to release the plates from the lifts after the table has entered the magazine.

l1. In a heel forming machine, a magazine, a movable table upon which lifts are assembled, heel forming plates pivotally connected with the table and adapted to retain the lifts in position, means for forcing the table and assembled lifts into the magazine, means operatively connecting the plates together, a resilient means for the plates to snap to an inoperative or operative position when one of the plates is rocked, and a cooperative tripping means for causing initial rocking of the plates when the lifts have entered the magazine whereby the spring will force the plates to an inoperative position.

l2. In a heel forming machine, a magazine, a movable table upon which lifts are assembled, heel forming plates pivotally connected with the table and adapted to retain the lifts in position, means for forcing the table and assembled lifts into the magazine, means for causing the plates to be moved to an inoperative position when the lifts have been moved into the magazine, means for causing the plates to be moved to an operative position when the table has been returned to the normal position, and means for' returning the table.

13. In a heel building machine, a magazine having an inlet opening, a table for assembling lifts, a power means for moving the table and assembled lifts into the magazine, a resilient means for returning the table after said table has completed its stroke, manual .means for causing the power means to be operatively connected with the table, and means for causing the power means to be released from its operative connections with the table when said table has been moved to a predetermined position with respect to the inlet opening of the magazine.

14. In a heel building machine, a magazine, a table for assembling lifts, a power means for moving the table towards the entrance of the magazine, a resilient means for returning the table after said table has completed its stroke, and

means for retaining the table in a predetermined position after the same has been moved.

15. In a heel building machine, a magazine, a table for assembling lifts, a power means for causing the table and assembled lifts to be moved into the magazine, means for releasing the power means just before the table has reached its limit' of movement in the magazine, and means for returning the table to its normal position.

16. In a heel building machine, a magazine, a table for assembling lifts, means for causing the table and assembled lifts to be moved into the magazine, said magazine at portions along its opposite ends being constructed to frictionally receive the lifts, the remaining portion of the magazine acting as a guide for the lifts Without creating frictional pressure on said lifts.

17. In a heel building machine, a magazine, a table for assembling lifts, a rack for reciprocating the table and provided with transverse grooves along the side edges thereof, said table having depending ribs received within the grooves, a back plate having suspended ribs also received within the grooves and co-operating with the first-mentioned rib to neatly fill said grooves, the rack adjacent the grooves being split, and means for forcing the split portions of the rack apart for clamping the table and back plate on the rack.

18. In a heel forming machine, a table for assembling lifts, a rack for reciprocating the table, a back plate, co-operating means on the back plate, table and rack for removably securing said plate and table on the rack, and a cover extending rearwardly from the upper edge of the back plate.

19. In a heel forming machine, a table for assembling lifts, a pressure container to receive the assembled lifts, a back plate adjacent one Wall of the container, associated with the table and forming with said wall a space, a reciprocating means, means for connecting the table and back plate to the reciprocating means, heel-forming plates pivotally mounted on the ends of the back plate, means connecting the heelforming plates for simultaneous operation and located in the space, and a cover extending from the back plate to the wall of the container and disposed directly over the last mentioned means for preventing foreign matter from falling into the space and on to said means.

CHARLES H. COULSON. 

